Diversified Deal in WV to Plug 730 Abandoned Wells Over 15 Years

Earlier this week West Virginia regulators signed a deal with Diversified Gas & Oil to plug some 730 abandoned conventional oil and gas wells over the next 15 years. In June, MDN brought you the news that Diversified had purchased EQT’s Huron Shale assets in Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia for $575 million (see Diversified Gas & Oil Adds to Conventional Assets in KY, VA, WV). In October Diversified announced a deal to buy out Core Appalachia for $183 million, which includes ~5,000 producing wells (90% of production is natgas) and 1.3 million acres in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia (see Diversified Gas & Oil Buys Core Appalachia for $183M). Thousands of old conventional wells spread across multiple states. The West Virginia Surface Owners’ Rights Organization (WVSORO) is not happy with the deal cut by WV with Diversified, claiming it doesn’t go nearly far enough.